Bus conductor booked for ‘embezzling’ ₹300

In the FIR, Chopra claimed that an inspection of Haryana roadways bus travelling on Gurugram-Haldwani route, taken up near Dhaula Kuan on March 24, found two passengers travelling without tickets.

The Haryana state roadways department has filed a case of embezzlement against a bus conductor for allegedly pocketing ₹300 from two passengers without issuing tickets, police said on Saturday.

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Police identified the bus conductor as Vipin Kumar (35), a native of Haryana’s Jhajjar, and said they have registered an FIR under IPC section 409 (criminal breach of trust) against him at Sector 14 police station on the basis of a complaint by Haryana roadways general manager (Gurugram) Ekta Chopra.

Kumar has dismissed the charges as baseless.

In the FIR, Chopra claimed that an inspection of Haryana roadways bus travelling on Gurugram-Haldwani route, taken up near Dhaula Kuan on March 24, found two passengers travelling without tickets.

The senior transport department official alleged that “it was a clear act of embezzlement of government money”, adding that Kumar did not provide tickets to the two passengers even after charging money from them.

Despite repeated attempts, Chopra could not be reached for comment.

A police official, privy to the case, said the offence will be categorised as embezzlement irrespective of the amount.“Even if somebody pockets Re 1 from the government, it will still be an embezzlement,” the official said.

Meanwhile, Kumar claimed he issued the tickets to the two passengers, who were travelling to Garh Ganga in Uttar Pradesh, but did not charge them for their luggage, containing 10kg of rice and pulses, they were carrying to undertake rituals for a departed family member. “No fare charge is required if the luggage weight is up to 10kg,” he said.

“I was suspended for at least three days. I was reinstated when there was a nationwide strike last month,” he alleged.

Inspector Satender Kumar, station house officer of Sector 14 police station, said they will ask Kumar and the inspection team members to join the investigation.